Joseph, One Righteous Man

One carpenter siddon alone for darkness, sleep no gree come. Di news wey e hear don break im heart. And e dey try find how e go do di correct tin, and di kind tin, di same time.

Matthew tell di Christmas story from Joseph side. Joseph dey live for Nazareth, one small village for di hills of Galilee. E be builder, craftsman, wey come from King David line, even though nothing royal dey im life now. E don betroth one young woman wey im name na Mary. For dia world, betrothal big pass engagement. Na promise wey bind dem, wey dem make for di front of family and witnesses. By law, dem dey treat di two as husband and wife, even though dem never start to live together. Dat one go come later, when Joseph go carry Mary go im house. Until then, dem dey wait.

And then, before dem come together as husband and wife, dem find say Mary dey carry belle. Matthew tell im readers straight away say dis child na from di Holy Spirit. But Joseph no know dat one yet. All wetin e know na wetin anybody go think. Imagine how e go feel. Di woman wey e trust. Di future wey e don plan. Di house wey maybe e dey build for dem. Everything don suddenly shake. For small village, news like dis no go hide for long. People go talk. Some fit even dey wicked.

Matthew describe Joseph with one important word. E be righteous man, just man. E take God law serious. E believe say promise like betrothal no be something wey person fit just ignore. So, as e see am, e no fit continue with di marriage. But Joseph goodness no cold, e no hard. Matthew add say e no wan disgrace Mary for public. E no want make dem parade her for di front of di village, or shame her for di front of di elders. E wan protect her, even while im own heart dey pain am.

So Joseph take decision. E go put her away quietly, wey mean say e go end di betrothal without noise. Small, private divorce, without any accusation for public and without any scene. Na di most gentle road wey e fit find. Joseph think am well. E don make up im mind. And na right there, for di middle of im careful and painful planning, Matthew pause di story. Because God wan tell Joseph something wey go change everything.

Na why Matthew use di word divorce for to end engagement. For Jewish custom for dat time, betrothal na legal bond, so to break am need official certificate, as di law of Moses describe for Deuteronomy for to end marriage. Man fit do am for public, with accusation, or quietly. Joseph choose di quiet way, to save Mary from shame as much as e fit.

You go find Joseph wahala for Matthew chapter one, verse eighteen and nineteen. Before e hear from angel, Joseph don already show us di kind man wey e be. Faithful to God, and merciful to Mary. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. When person don hurt you or disappoint you, how you fit do wetin correct and still dey kind?